Vehicle lock and electric circuits



- A. E. PAIGE VEHICLE LOCK AND ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed March 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

' A. E. PAIGE VEHICLE LOCK AND ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed March 24, 1924 3 Sheets-She et 2 Jnvenlur:

Oct. 9, 192$. v I A. PAI GE VEHICLE LOCK AND ELECTRIC: CIRCUITS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 24, 1924 Patented Oct. 9, 192 8.

umrsn sures A'iiinnn E. Paton; oi? PHILADELPHIA, PnnnsYLvANIA;

VEHICLE Loon AND ELECTRIC cmcnrrs'.

Application filed march 24, 1'924.- Serial at. 701,597;

My improved locking device is particularly applicable to steering mechanism for auto mobile and other self-propelled Vehicles, ncluding a steering shaft having arotarysteer- 5 ing' wheel and mounted to turn in a't'uhu'lar column or post, and provides means for deta'ch-ably rigidly connectingsuch a steering Y shaft with a steering column, sofas to prevent the vehicle from being steered when locked,

l and meanswhereby an electric circuit controlling the operation of the vehicle isbroken or otherwise modifiedwhen the vehicle is locked, so as to then prevent operation ofthe vehicle motor; also means whereby an electric l circuit,- for instance, that including the vehicle horn, is arranged to be controlled by a switch appliance carriedby said'ste'ering shaft cooperative relation with a terminal or terminals held stationary by saidcolumn.

The form of my invention chosen forillustration is particularly applicable to automobile mechanism of the Ford t'ype,'-including a planetary train of gears of which the sun" gear is'carried by the steering shaft aforesa'icl. I have also found it convenient to employ locking mechanism including a. lock body, of a pin key type, which is" mounted to reciprocate radially in a' casing formedin a screw cap which serves as a cover for'the internal gear case which is a stationary fixtape at the top of said steeringfcolumn; said lock body being arran-ge'd'to directly engage the steering shaft to prevent rotation of the latter when in locked position; Said lock body may. be manually thrust into such locking'positionwithout' the employment of 1ts key; the latter being required only to release and effect the withdrawal of the lock body from its locked position; An electric controlling circuit, preferably the ignition circuit, includes a switch so mounted in said lock casing'that the circuit is opened at said switch wheneve'rsaid lock body is shifted'toits locked position, in which'the steering mechanism is inoperative; but is automatically closed when said lock body is withdrawn --to release the steering mechanism, In other words; the construction and arrangement of my invention are such as'to' simultaneously control both the mechanical and the electrical operating mechanism of the vehicle to preventthe operation thereof when locked and unlocked. 7

Moreover, in electric signaling systems of the prior art,,a push button switchis carried permit such operation when bythe steering wheel and connected with the other parts of the'system by flexible wires se cured at one end upon the steering Wheel and at the other end'oupon some stationary part of the vehicle; necessitating the provision of a considerable extent of such wires so dis posed that they may be coiled 0r uncoiled,

or otherwise flexed, witheverymovement of the steering wheel, throughout the complete rotation of the latter in either direction with reference to said stationary column.

my invention hereinafter described, all of thepartsof the electric circuits which are movable by the steering Wheel are in fact carried by the steering shafainde endenuy of the" wheel, so that the latter may be removedand replaced Without disturbing them. As hereinafter described; said shaft carries a pair of push switch terminals at the upper end thereof in unitaryconnection with conductors extending downwardly in a slot in the" circumference of a steering shaft which also serves as a seat for the spline key whereby the shaft is connected to thesteeringwheel, and the lower end of said switch conductors project laterally as brush contacts which are maintained in continuous sliding engagement with respective terminal rings held stationary in saidcolumn cap and respectively provided with conductors extending therefrom and in- Such 1 wires are unsightly and inconvenient in that I clu'ded in the circuit in the vehicle comprising a'storagebattery or other source of electric er y I My invention includesfthe' various novel features .of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified. iHowever, vehicle locks and signaling devices of the general character herein disclosed are claimed in my copending application Serial In said drawings: Fig'.- I- is a fragmentary plan view of a steering wheel-spider and appurtenant mechanism conveniently embodying my invention; the arm of the spider ex oated in dotted linesinl i 'ciprocatoryin said cap.

of the structure.

'view oif'the up 7 shown in section tending to the right being broken oil. Fig. II is a plsn view of the steering-3; column cap partly shown in Fig. I. Fig. ill is a perspective View of the loci: body shoivn in dotted lines in Fig. I, whichis radially-re- Fig. l isa tragmentary elevation of the right hand side of the mechanism shown in l ytihish-iscon- Veniently the right hand side of the steering column cap as it isheldstationary inthe Vehicle, and-a wii diagram typical electric ign circuit an yehicle n'aling (JilCLlt, in icatin tionf of ile same to the switch atoresaid- Fig. V is 1;. i i 'ien tional View taken on the line f showing a niodiiiedi orin t {i conduit forthe electric conductors extending from said column cap. Fip;.-VI is z.i'i. ,e"evation ,ofthe left hand side e switch indi- C. break the ignition circuit-fl) locl: body to loc zedposition. elevation corresponding to Fit thelswitch closed by with Lira body to unlocked position. perspective View of the insul: her indicated in dotted lines in VII. lXis a plan View 'o u torn' insulating supportoi the switch snown in Figs. VI and Vll, but on a law scale; the preceding figures. showing-g the toll size Fig. IZis a perspective View of said switch insulati' gsupport the same scale as'Fig. IX. Figs. Xi and Elli.

are respective perspective views of the two switch-terminals shown at the left and in Figs. VI andVILbut on the scale 0 tional View oi the structure shown in Fi talzenion "the line 151. X V is a plan View of the steelbearin i is push'litted in said cap as Kill. Fig. XV is'a plan vi two tl i plane sectionin Fig. 1

shown in V1 is acnl tube wl is a plan iew of the .i oports the two CCllttlC'tlflllQ' in as shown in XIX a fragmentary p ive view i the upper contact rin '11 Figs. XVl, but on a larger scale, she how the electric conductors are. connect with ".id rinqs Fig. XX is a detached plan View 01 the steering shaft and its appurtenanc-s shown in Fig. XIII. Fig. XXI aplan view of the insulating disk shown in sect i the ten of said steering shaft shown in l I ill. i. Fl XXllLis an elevation of the transverse reciprocatory spring pressed detent pin which normally extends transversely item said lock body, as'indicated in Fig 'XIIl. Fig. XXIII is an elevation. of a modified form of locking plunger, similar to that shown in section in l ig.v XIII, but so constructed and arranged that the key must be employed in connection therewith, both to fit the radially reciprocatory lock body in lied position and to withdraw it there from. I r r v In said figures; the stationary steeringcoluinn 1 is provided with the;enternalsci ew thread 2 adapted to be engaged by thestati'on ary column head cover or cap 3. Said cap has the circular recess l itsupper end to hold rotateinsaid column 1 and is operatively con-f nected, by the spline key 8, withthe steering wheel hub 9-which i's'detachably seoured on shaft by the nut 10 engaging the screw thread 11 at the upper end elf-said shaft. 'As

shown in Fig. X111; said 'keyS extends in the radial slot lQ in said shaft 7. Said steering wheel conveniently includes the spider 133E217 tending from; said hub 9,-ande1ther rigidly or pivotally connected'to anannular steer ng wheel rim; thearm extending to the rightfin Fig. Lbut broken'oll,. being provided atiits outer end with a; pivotal connection 14 fora tiltable to "in of steeringwheel, as shown in Fig-2 Kill.

Said steering tionv tl'i-crewith, the pinion teeth 15 forming the sun gear or the planetary {6111111. Said SllBjEiTZ is jOUTllfilQCl at ts,iower'endin the drive pinion shaft bushing lfiwhich 1s rotatable in-said column 1 and is held downward therein by the stop flange 17, which is dr ve DH "nr 1 01 r1 1m iiwec. aiouini saio sia-i ant entencs in a complementary recess 18in saidi'cap 3, as

shown in Fig. Xll Said bushing 16 l'ias,-,at itsupp'er end, the three arms 19 carrying respective stud shafts 20, parallel with said shaft The planetary pinions 21. are mount? ed to turn upon said stud shafts 20 in mesh with said pinion teeth 15 and in mesh with the internal orbital gear 28, which latter is formed in unitary relation with said column 1. Saidinternal gear casecover or cap 3 has the axial bore 2- concentric with theaiiis of said shaft 7 and titted to the slightly reduced circumference of said pinionteeth lo'extending ah ove said stop flange ring 1'? so that said shaft is thus ournaled in saidco'ver g. v

Said-internal. case (rap, 3 also l 'asif in unitary relation therewith. the lock casin'gil withthe radial cylindrical loc socketflti with shaft 7, known to the trade as the drive pinion shaft has, in un tary relaa swim which said pi ion-teema1=eaapteato Siibcessi'vel-y i'egisfier' inever rotary position 'fofsaid shaft 7-."1 The "locking devieei incl ides the I primarily separate cylindiial body 28 fitted "to reciprocate in' saidi'oek SoGke't' QS; the ex 'tent of itsreciprocation-being limitedb'y the slot 29in' it's tap' in whi'chth'e screw 30"extendsin-frigid relation with said "lock "casing-25.; 'S'ai'd body 28has the'segiiiental groove Q7-inits perimeter-arranged'to register with saideap key seat 5, when said "look body '28- is Withof said look body 28 is grooved at 3 1, and has 'two' teeth voiaicige's 32fitted t0 eng'age any- "Where in'the circumferentiaiseries of locking recesses 33 between said pinion teeth lfi which are in unitary relation with saidshafb'l. The rotation of said shaft? is thus prevented when said lockho'd-y isengaged ih rewith 'as indie'ated-i-n dotted lines Fig. I; thus prevent- Hing operation of the steeri'n'g mechanism, 'whieh is connec't'edto the lower end of said i busliinglfil radialiy'in the thickest part of its wall' a'i' ound t'he cylindricalbore-formed eccentric to but parallel With its aids, for; the rotary key bar l "34; which bai'rel is rotatabieiiyfilie removable key 35, to retractytl ie' detent' or loc'kiiigplitnger I 36' sh oiynin Figi-XI'I'I ;or'toboth'projeetand retraet the modified iorin of ;.-p1ung'er; s7, shown in Fig.- XXIII. Said loc k 'body- 28i'ha's' transverse,"dianietrical bore for eithefr of said pl-ungers, intersecting the ia izeskof said :body j and said barrel 34. Said pl'ungeis- 36 and 37 differ, first, in theaxial ext ent o'fthe' transverse,segmental, crank notch 38 therein which is adapted to reeeiye the c rank 39 :proieeting from the inner end 'of' saidrot-ary key han-e1 34E 'zinch secoirci, in thatthe lower end of the plunger 36 is caminclined asindicated in" Fig. XIII, Whereas; the iow e'r'zend-offthe p1ung'e1' '36 is not. Each such plunger has'a cylindrical spring seat; eccentric to th'epiunger axis," so as to clear its notch-33 "and h'old'a 'zspring 40 tending; to project the plun'ge'r; Either p1unger36 or37 is thus adapted for alternate engagement in the detent recesses 42 and-4:3; in said i gap 3, to detain 'said lock body 28in either its inner locked "position shown in Fig. I or initsou'ber;unlocked position shown in Fig. XIII;

v. When said key. 35' is't-urnedto retract't he and the lockbody '28 is withdrawn; fronrthe "as shown in Illa nary use of this form of my inVentiOhQisa'id "screw so remains in the position shown in Figsil and saifl 166k 28 is com '-.tint1bnsPy -"ciiiried-"iii said {iivjrYB Wlifh, fas

detent lunger 36 -fro'in the detent re'eess 42, l

yieuu'tp'rfigtiem 'ihifikiit enema, by saids-pring 40, 5o hold said M fls auwf meat with said s reefimgsnm and thus I we vehicle a) }be' stems; n lflusugn in such unldkfzl ieimssia *ieteiit 3613, 'springpfessed i'iito said 41am reeess'as enaiigh to prevent the'iaceidentahinward nave-merit (if sem -leek f0 1)- game; said body "may he whims: :iswardgb the-finger er shumis'of the bperstbr, without using said" "key 35 seen iiwvefiiem ai "tihe leek merely cmusifig the loWf-ain inclined jendof saia' lunger 36 th ride oir'ritheinner of the eases be' iihu's 'thrus fu ward into *said body 28, againstthe pressure- 'Ii" "miseri s-11y thrust by' said s'piring, mile,

po sit'ion'shown'in ddt ted' lihes' in Fig. Km,

to detain said {lock-'body 28 in me 'lodked' positioni-indicated in dotted lines in Fig it-may he-obsr'ved "thitl'ithe' lofierfend of said*p li1iigerf36 is s"; mummy-amiss Said-key'B' ii gybewihdifwn'iwih "said.

serves as a mam-b whih Ioek 1 ba of sa'id s rewiwiehe center piimih. However, such proyec' t on of, thejmetal of the sere w is not :s-u'meiemrm ine'vhpit s forcible operar I said me 'o has an exi-iil boreinwhich the pus'hbutton so; whi hfis fofifiedstimulating I aterial; i'ssmeumed toirec ipr'aeate; *btifi aid button 'rs hermuym w 1d sh-"the posit'ioh shown in Fig: XIII by the spring terminal ili ilv ;.51. which is held-.gtogether with the spring terminal52 in the insulating covering '53and- .diskfii. Said spring switch terminals 51 and] 52 are respectively in unitary relation with I Said contact brushes55 and: 56are continuously- .in respective sliding contact with the ,;stationary contact; rings 57 and 1 58. which are J separated and supported in axially spaced relationlby th'e insulating tube 59 shownin sec- .Itionin Fig. XIII and in plan in Fig-XVII Saidcontactrings 5T and, 58. are insulated iromsaid cap 3 byitwo similar thinpla'ne insulating washers 60,: which are shown in; seci n in .E s- X I .e te he' re pe vely; f above the upper contact ring ,57 and'below ofwhiclr i As indicated in Figs. I and IV; when said the lower contact ring 58; and one isshown in plan 111 Fig. XV.

, :Saidcontaet-rings 57' and 58 are precisely alike butmerely axially oppositely disposed. {Each-has a p'eriiorationgtilin its plane lfiange,

;,as ,indicated in Figs,.XVI and XVIIIJand said .plane flanges are distorted axially. at,

said; perforations as -indicated at, 62 in Fig. XIX, to form respective recesses in whichthe ends ofgelectric conductors may be 1 clinched in; electric zconneeti on with the vrespective rings, as exemplified by the conduc- '1 .tor 63. shown in ,Fig. XIX.

Said contact rings57- and shown insecsaid; cap 3 froni said recess/l to the switch ,socket-67 which.is conveniently-formed by allelslots 7 8 to holdthe two resilient metal switch, terminals 79 and 80 which; are offset a {abovefandbelow said base 77- so as touprelvent their longitudinaldisplacement; Said drilling said capgB, parallel y with its axial ;bor'e24. l

,Said rings57an 158 andthe insulating ,ele- Q nients supportingrand separating them from? lll'lG lTlGlIiLljOf both said cap and the steering shaft-L7 are held instationary position in said V capbydrive fitting, in* the upper, end of said recess 4,. the steel bearingring- 69, shown in 1 section in FigLXIII and. in plan in Fig. XIV. lSaid conductors (i3 and65 extendfromsaid passage 26 6 downwardthrough said switch I socket 67 inrespective ducts-71 inthe cylindriform insulating switch support 7 3 which ,iwormau held stationary in saidsocket 67 by the set screwfi l, engaging the conical seat 75 iin said;support, Accidental removal ofsaid setscrew may be prevented by distorting the metal of the cap 8 surroundingait at the outer end thereof, as indicated -at76 in r best support 7 3 has, in its cylindrical-base77, two parswitchtermin'als 79 and80 are iencasedbythe insulating push piece 82, indi'c'atedi'n dotted" lines in Figs. I,.VI and VIIalIClShOWIl detached in FigVIII. j As'shown in Figs. I and IV; said switch membe-rs 7 9 and 8.0 and their,

encasing puslrpiece 82 projectfin the segmental notch 84 in saidlock body 28, which is so proportioned that when'said lock body is thrust inward to locking position, as shown in Fig. .I, I said switch members are permitted to separate as indicated 1n F 1g. VI, to open the ignition c rcuitor other circult controlling theoperation of the vehicle motor and, when said lock body 28 is withdrawn to the locked Y 7 position shown in;;F, ig. XIII; said switch "membersgare "closed, n contact, as shown 1n Fig.1 VII, thus closing said ignition circuit withwhich said terminals 79 and 80, are re- V spect'ively connected by theconductors 86 and 8 7,

say; the locking mechanism above described also locks said motor controlling switch de-- I .vice, carried by said support -73,-against un- 7 authorized removal.

V 1 protect the electricconductors atoresaidand tion inl i'g. XIII, are-respectivelyprovided with. electric conductors :68and 6 5 which'extend [through the ,drilled passageway 66 in Moreover, I prefer to particularly the conductors 86 and 87 b y exvided to protect the wires leading to the-horn umncap'3 is screw threadedat 90 to engage modified formshown in Fig V, a protecting tube 91 is formed ofhardenedsteel wire in Y the form of a close wound, spring which: is

92 cutin the cap 3 at the lowerend of said said socket 67 and the armor tube 89 or 91,

1 button which,,in theFord structure, is mountedonsuch sheath. As indicated; in'Fig. IV,

said'protecting tube 89 is of an ordiharycominercial form known asvarmor tube, composed of helically wound overlapped steel strips, andfitis to be understood that the H 7 lower end of said-switch socket 67 in; the, co'lsaid, tube 89 as a scre-w.- However, in :the i similarly engaged .as-a screw, with the threads 5 :switchsocket 67. In'eithcrcase; the conduc tors 63, :65,- 86 and 87 may be.drawn:tl1rough while the latter is straight, in which position and said tubes 89 jori9l' ifiex'ed into the. position they are intended to occupy in the vehicle it is impossible to rotate themto unscrew such tubes maybe freely screwed into or out of connection with said threads'inthe cap .3. However, after the parts are thus assembled them and, of course, they are diflicult'to cut disturbance. I

As, indicated in vFl IV, the conductors 63 and 65 extending fi'oin theswitchsontrolled..

;:,by the-pu'slrbutton 50, are connected witli a the electrical controllingcircuit ofthe vehi- However, it is, of course, undesirable to short-v $011108 f. electri avia tlicflvehiclei i dicated asa storage. battery .9 l,-.anil .i-ii elude; either an; aifid-ible'signaling' device, inclicated as a horn 95, or a visiblesig ialing device, indicated as .an incandescent electric.

lamp 96 provided with a reflector 97, ormay be arranged tov operate both in accordance witht-he position of the switch 98 shown in i Fig. IV. However, it is to be understood that said switch mechanism carried by the steering shaft 7 and operative bythe push button 50, may be used to control an electric "circuit of'any kind.

In IV, I have shown said conductors 86 and 87, which lead from the switch mounted on said support 73, included in an ignition circuit with the same storage battery 94. That circuit may include an ordinary lg11l tion switch, indicated at 100 in Fig. IV,-conveniently connected with said conductor 86 and leading to terminals in the respective spark plugs 101,102, 103 and 104 in a four cylinder engine indicated at 105. The opposite terminals of said spark plugs are connected with a distributor 106 and the latter included in circuit with the spark coil 107 and connected through said batery 9-(l, t'o said conductor 87. However, it. is to be understood that said motor controlling circuit shown in Fig. IV is merely typical of any circuit, the modification of which will determinewhether cle motor shall be operative or not, andthat the wiring diagram included in Fig-IV is not intended to be a complete illustration of the electr cal equipment of any commercial vehicle. For instancegit is the comiiionpractice'to include a generator in such equipment so connected as to charge the storage-battery when the vehicle motor is runnin gai d autoiiiatic switch mechanism to alternately con-v nect such storage battery and generatorwith the spark plugs etc.

. Furthermore, although I have shown the motor controlling switchdevice comprising. the terminals 79 and 80 arranged to break an electric circuit when the lock body 28 is thrust into lockingposition and to complete or close the circuit when said locklbody' is withdrawnto unlocked position; itis obvi oustliat uch relation may be reversed, eFIOrV" instance, if theiiiotor controll systemglm cludes a magneto, such switch mechanism may be used to close a. circuit, short circuiting:

the magneto and thus prevent itsuse to start I g g control the operation of said vehicle; where by, when said body is positionedto lock said the'vehicle motor, wl enthe vehicle steering mechanism is locked, as above described.

circuit a' storage battery In other words;

the specific'constructioii and arrangement of included, may. be of-any desired character.

Therefore, 1 (lo-not desire'to limitmyself; to. the. precise *details of construction and 1 the electric systems in whichmy lockable. switch. mechanism above described may, be i arraiigenientherei iset-forth as it is obvious]v that various modifications may lie-made therein, without departing from the essent al locking recesses; 21 cover for said column, hav ing a lock casing socket with whichsaid locking recesses are adapted to successively register, when said shaft is turned; a key lock in.- 3 eluding a body fitted to said casing socket and radially reciprocatory to engage said shaft to prevent steering movement of said shaft,

and to release said shaft; said body having a notch in its perimeter; an electric switch comprising a movable memberextending in said notch and arranged to be moved to operate said switch by the. reciprocatory movement of said lock body; a motor for said vehicle; and an electric circuit including said switch arranged to control the operatioii'of said motor whereby, when said body is positioned to lock said shaft from turning, it shifts said switch to prevent operation of said motor, and when said'body is positioned-to permit operation of said shaft to steer the vehicle,

it shifts said switch to permit operation of said motor; whereby an electric circuit may be maintained from a stationary portion of theivehicle to the rotary steering wheel thereof, despite rotation of the latter.

2. The combination with a stationary steer;

ing column; of a rotary shaft jouriialed in said column and having a circular series of locking recesses; a cap for'said coluinii,'hav

iiig-a 'lock'casing socket with which said lockmg recesses are adapted to success velyiegister whensaid shaft turned; a key lock l11 cludinga body fitted to said casing socket and radially reciprocatory, with the keythereof,

Ito eiiga said shaft to prevent steering movement of said shaft, aiid to release said shaft;

' whereby, said cap holds said lock in inseparable relation wi h said shaftwhen n locked osition; said radially reciprocatiory ,bod y iavi'i g'a notchiii'its perimeter; an electric. switch comprising-Ia movable member e2:T

tending in saidnotch and arranged to be" moved to operate saidswitch'by the reciprocatory movement of. said lock body, radially with respect to-Isaid shaft; and an' electric circuit including said switch arranged to shaft from turning, it shifts said switch to prevent operation ofsaid veh cle, and when iso said column and having a circular series'of' $0 said body is positioned to permit operation of said shaft to steer the vehicle, it shifts said 7 switch to permit operation of said vehicle.

3. In a motor vehicle; the combination with a stationary steering column; of a cap for poraneously prevent said shaft from turning and move saidswitch to prevent the vehicle motor from operating, having means arranged to hold it in inseparable relation with said column when locked. I A In testimony whereof, I have hereunt signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 'vania this twenty-first day of March, 1924.

ARTHUR E. PAIGE; 

